British Columbia Premier David Eby said Thursday that he intends to introduce legislation that would place tolls on commercial trucks traveling from the Lower 48 to Alaska via his province.
Speaking at the Legislative Assembly building in Victoria, Eby said the move is one of several that he is taking in response to President Donald Trump’s erratic Canadian tariff plans.
“I’m here to share that we will be introducing a new law in the coming days to respond to this historic challenge: unprecedented legislation. It will include such countermeasures as allowing the province to apply fees to commercial trucks that transit through British Columbia on their way to Alaska,” Eby said.
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy said he hopes British Columbia will reconsider.
“My hope is that the federal governments between our two great countries work out solutions to the tariff issues, and provincial and state governments refrain from making unilateral decisions that may have negative consequences that negatively impact discussions at the federal level as they find solutions,” he said by email Thursday afternoon.
Alaska state Sen. Robert Myers, R-North Pole, is a commercial trucker when he’s not representing his district in the state Capitol.
“It’s going to be a big deal for two things,” he said of the BC tolls. “Fresh produce — the vast majority of our fresh produce … for most of Alaska gets trucked up. The other major issue that I could see is with the oil industry. If you want to get something up here fast, you put it on a truck, not a barge.”
Statistics from the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities show more than 90% of Alaska-bound cargo is shipped by ocean, rather than truck, but trucks carry high-value cargo that needs to be moved quickly, Myers said.
Jamie Benson, executive director of the Alaska Trucking Association, said that trade group “is deeply concerned” by the British Columbia proposal.
“Such measures will significantly increase transportation costs, disrupt supply chains, and raise prices for essential goods that Alaskans rely on,” she wrote by email.
“We strongly urge provincial policymakers to maintain the great relationships and commonalities they share with Alaska while our federal governments work towards solutions to avoid tariffs.”
In addition to the proposed toll legislation, Eby has directed the BC government to stop buying American products where possible, and has ordered the provincial liquor stores to stop selling alcohol from Republican-led states like Alaska.
Eby said he intends to do what’s possible to remove internal trade barriers between Canadian provinces and pass legislation that allows his province to respond rapidly to Trump’s executive orders.
Trump has twice said he will impose a 25% tariff on commerce from Canada and Mexico, only to recant once and change his mind the second time. On Thursday, he signed an order delaying the Canadian tariff for a month.
Canada is pressing ahead with response measures. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced retaliatory tariffs on Wednesday, and the leaders of individual provinces have announced additional measures.
In Ontario, Premier Doug Ford said that the province will begin adding a 25% surcharge to electricity bound for the United States.
Closer to Alaska, on Tuesday, Yukon Premier Ranj Pillai said Yukon’s governmental liquor stores will stop buying from American companies and that the government will limit American business’s access to governmental contracts.
“The United States is our most important trading partner and Canada’s closest friend and ally, but this is not how you treat your friends,” he said in a written statement. “To our friends and family in Alaska: Our lives and economies are interconnected, and we hope you will continue to visit our territory and experience all that it has to offer. Please know these measures are not directed at you, but we must do what we can to stand up for our country, our sovereignty and our way of life.”
Speaking to the CBC on Wednesday, Pillai said he’s heard from Yukoners who would like to impose tolls as well. Residents have also suggested banning Alaska athletes from the next Arctic Winter Games — scheduled to take place next winter in Whitehorse — and forbidding Donald Trump Jr. from the Yukon.
Trump Jr. is an avid hunter who has occasionally visited the territory on big-game hunts.
When it comes to tolls, Pillai told the CBC that doing so would likely require the installation of toll booths, the hiring of new staff, and legislation to authorize it.
British Columbia’s plans weren’t immediately clear on Thursday. Like the Yukon, British Columbia does not currently have toll stations along the highways leading to Alaska, and when it comes to the Alaska Highway in particular, tolls may be specifically barred by international agreement.
Myers said he doesn’t think that imposing tolls would be difficult from a technical standpoint. Truck traffic is already obliged to stop at weigh stations for safety reasons, and there are few roads in northern British Columbia.
“That is not hard to toll,” he said.
While Eby pointed out land-bound trucks for particular attention, he didn’t mention Alaska-bound cruise ships. Canadian action there could have a larger impact on Alaska.
An estimated 1.9 million cruise passengers are expected to visit Alaska during this summer’s tourist season, and under federal law, all Alaska-bound ships must stop in British Columbia en route to Alaska.
• James Brooks is a longtime Alaska reporter, having previously worked at the Anchorage Daily News, Juneau Empire, Kodiak Mirror and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. This article originally appeared online at alaskabeacon.com. Alaska Beacon, an affiliate of States Newsroom, is an independent, nonpartisan news organization focused on connecting Alaskans to their state government.
